Adequate to be understood by the patient; able to converse at an appropriate level for the patient’s age and educational level; appropriate tone for the situation—to ensure good communication and patient comfort

Adapts communication to the individual patient for reasons such as culture, age, and disability (e.g., the young child or teenager, or someone with speech deficits, hearing deficits, or language difficulties)

This permeates all levels of communication. This includes the ability to hear, understand, and discuss an opinion, idea, or value that may be different from your own while maintaining respect for the patient’s right to decide for himself or herself. Communication conveys respect for the patient.